Although these are not the type of moves expected following the holiday roster freeze, two GMs made some minor roster decisions today. The Anaheim Ducks placed forward Kyle Calder on waivers while the Nasville Predators did the same with Dave Scatchard.

Calder skated to the left of Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf on the top line however he turned in a sub-par performance. The 32-year-old Calder produced only two assists in 14 games for the Ducks while posting a minus-seven rating.

Scatchard going on waiver may be a surprise to some but with the recent callup and play of rookie Nick Spaling, the veteran became redundant. This move also frees up cap space for the team, albeit not a lot but every dollar counts in this economy.

In 16 games, Scatchard posted five points and a plus-three. The 33-year-old averaged a little under 11 minutes of ice time per game.

It makes one ponder what is in store down the line considering both GMs essentially freed up roster spots. Will it be the kids getting the call ups or will these moves precede trade dominos beginning to fall?

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With the loan of Michael Nylander to Grand Rapids of the NHL, the Capitals gained financial flexibility which should allow them to acquire some help in areas they deem necessary. As of this writing, the Caps 24 wins lead the League making the average fan ask: How can they possibly get better?

Corey Masisak of The Washington Times lists five speculative picks that would bolster this team as they prepare for a lengthy playoff campaign. As the team stands there is little need for improvement but one could make a case for another top defender.

As we know from our history watching the playoffs, depth is key. The team’s current construction has featured numerous players shifting up and down the teams forward lines as coach Bruce Boudreau dealt with injuries and juggling in order to find the proper mix. Still Masisak believes the most glaring need is this top defenseman. His solution: Scott Niedermayer.

Niedermayer currently captains the Anaheim Ducks and has lead them, as well as his former team the New Jersey Devils, to the Stanley Cup. In addition, this may be the last year in the NHL for the 36-year-old. Although he only has three goals on the season, he would become a powerful weapon on the Washington powerplay, something dreams are made of. He along with Mike Green would give them two elite puck-moving defensemen which would be incredibly dangerous for this already powerful offense.